Slow Cooker Apple Butter

A neighbor gave us a huge box of apples so I'm working on my third batch of slow cooker apple butter, mmm my house smells amazing!


 Fill a large slow cooker with peeled quartered apples, add 2 cups sugar, 3 Tablespoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon cloves and a pinch of salt. Cook on high for 1 hour, reduce heat to low and cook uncovered until 1/3 is evaporated. (This is an all day recipe, so if your apple butter is not ready by evening, you can cover your slow cooker and keep it on warm overnight, then uncover and turn it back to low in the morning). Add more seasoning to taste. 

 I use a pressure cooker to can my apple butter, but you can skip the canning and keep the apple butter refrigerated for about 2 weeks. 

p.s. you can even skip the apple peeling by starting with applesauce! your house will smell amazing too!

Best Ever Super Soft Breadsticks to mix in Bread Machine

These breadsticks disappear so fast I haven't gotten a photo!

Super Soft Breadsticks

4 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon yeast
1 cup warm water
3 cups bread flour (King Arthur unbleached bread flour)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick butter (1/4 cup), softened
After cooking, spread butter or margarine over top and sprinkle with garlic or garlic salt.


Dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar in warm water.

In bread machine, add the rest of the sugar, bread flour, salt and butter.  Add yeast mixture and set bread machine to dough setting.  Remove dough after it is thoroughly mixed, but before the long rise, mine takes about 30 minutes in the bread machine. Divide into 12 balls and roll into sticks.  Place on greased cookie sheet and allow to rise, about 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees then bake breadsticks for 10 minutes or until slightly browned.  Brush with melted butter or margarine and sprinkle with garlic.

Corn Cob Jelly

Dear Hubby has been hankering for Corn Cob Jelly ever since he heard it tastes - just like honey.

Well, after making a batch we decided this jelly really does taste like honey!

Hubby scrounged the internet and found a Corn Cob Jelly recipe, but after reading the comments, I decided to look for a few more recipes.

I used a combination of 2 recipes, and made some changes. One of the recipes I used said to hard boil the cobs for 30 minutes so I brought my cobs to a full rolling boil for 30 minutes.  After removing the cobs and straining the liquid I was supposed to have 3 1/2 cups of fluid, but I only had 1 cup of corn cob "juice".

I remade the recipe using more water, turned my heat down to medium for a slow steady boil, and added a bit more lemon juice.

Here is my recipe, makes 5 half pint jelly jars, (this jelly is firm, spreads easily but will slide in the jar when tipped over, see picture above).  :

12 cobs, remove husks and cut corn kernels off
5 quarts of water
1 box of powdered pectin
1 teaspoon margarine
3 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Place cobs in large saucepan and cover with water.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Uncover and reduce heat to a slow steady boil.  Boil for 30 minutes.  Remove cobs.  Strain liquid through cheesecloth if desired to remove corn bits.

Got really steamy in my kitchen!

Take 3 1/2 cups of the corn cob "juice", lemon juice, margarine and pectin.  Bring to a full rolling boil for 1 minute.  Add sugar, return to full rolling boil for 1 minute.

Ladle into sterilized jars and process in pressure cooker 7 lbs for 10 minutes. You can also process in a water bath canner.

Release steam and remove from pressure cooker.  Allow to cool in draft free location.  Do not move for 24 hours.

mmm...mmm, this recipe for Corn Cob Jelly got all thumbs up at our house, and a great way to use corn cobs!

Oh, and I just might I'll be giving Corn Cob Jelly for Christmas gifts this year.  :)

Strawberry Jam Recipe

Strawberry fields and Summer Jammin :) 




Strawberry Jam

5 cups strawberries (about 3 quarts)
7 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon margarine
1 box of Sure Jell pectin

Discard strawberry core, stems and debris, wash, then mash.
Sterilize jars and lids
Bring strawberries, pectin and margarine to a full rolling boil for 1 minute.  Add sugar, return to full rolling boil for 1 minute.  Ladle into sterilized jars within 1/4 inch of top. Wipe jar rims and cover with lid and ring. Process in pressure cooker 6 pounds for 7 minutes.

Notes: preheat the water in your pressure cooker or add hot water to avoid breakage.  Remove jars and allow to cool completely, then let stand at room temperature for 24 hours.  Check seals by pressing centers of lids.  If it springs back, lid is not sealed.

Store unopened jam in cool, dry, dark place for up to 1 year.  Refrigerate opened jam for up to 3 weeks.

Blueberry Jam Recipe

Love it when fresh fruit comes into season and homemade jam is on the shelf.  We use this blueberry jam recipe for one of our family favorites!

4 cups blueberries (3 1/2-4 pints)
4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon margarine
1 box of Sure Jell pectin

Discard blueberry stems and debris, wash, then mash.
Sterilize jars and lids
Bring blueberries, pectin and margarine to a full rolling boil for 1 minute.  Add sugar, return to full rolling boil for 1 minute.  Ladle into sterilized jars within 1/4 inch of top. Wipe jar rims and cover with lid and ring. Process in pressure cooker 6 pounds for 7 minutes.

Notes: preheat the water in your pressure cooker or add hot water to avoid breakage.  Remove jars and allow to cool completely, then let stand at room temperature for 24 hours.  Check seals by pressing centers of lids.  If it springs back, lid is not sealed.

Store unopened jam in cool, dry, dark place for up to 1 year.  Refrigerate opened jam for up to 3 weeks.

Best Way to Clean a Grill

Best way to clean a BBQ grill? Clean out the debris on the bottom of the grill. Light it! Heat it up, then brush those grates with a wire brush. What will you do with all that spare time?

Free Chemo Hat

Update: Over 35 chemo hats were given out free in December, thanks to my fabric supplier and a little extra craziness here trying to sew up extra hats.  I hope you had a blessed Christmas, and wishing you an awesome New Year!


Oops! One of my favorite fabric suppliers, High End Fabric, sent me the wrong fabric and generously donated it to me to make cancer chemo caps. This week and while supplies last, I'm giving away a free organic black bamboo chemo hat with every purchase.

My hats make great chemo gifts and are super soft. I love natural materials like cotton and bamboo because they are perfect for sensitive skin. You can shop my hat collection online at

My Website All Things Blooming, www.allthingsblooming.com

Etsy All Things Blooming, www.etsy.com/shop/AllThingsBlooming

All Things Blooming on Amazon, http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_nr_p_89_0?fst=as%3Aoff&rh=n%3A7141123011%2Cp_4%3AAll+Things+Blooming%2Cp_89%3AAll+Things+Blooming&bbn=7141123011&ie=UTF8&qid=1448978167&rnid=2528832011&ajr=0


If your purchase is a gift, please send along a note you would like to include, and I will gift wrap for free.

Christmas Blessings!
Theresa